Hayden planning commission rejects development

Hayden isn’t ready for Hayden Canyon and the stress the anticipated 1,800 homes and businesses would put on schools and the city’s streets and sewer.

With thundering cheers and claps from the audience, the Hayden Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended denial Monday of changing the city’s newly revised comprehensive plan to allow five homes per acre on the 618 acres off Lancaster Road. The commission also unanimously recommended rejection of including the land in the city limits.

“You did not prove to us we should bring this into our city,” Commissioner Lynn Flemming said, adding that the developers “showed us lots of pretty pictures” but didn’t show that the project wouldn’t burden Hayden.

But the fight isn’t over. The Hayden City Council has the final say on both issues and will have another round of public hearings on the requests in January.

The development company – Hayden TND – vows to clarify what company officials call “misconceptions” and prove that the development would actually help Hayden by accelerating improvements to local roads, providing land for new schools and expanding the town’s economic base. The “new urbanism” concept clusters a variety of styles of homes, leaves open space, encourages walking and has a well-defined community center.

“Our homework is to show without a doubt the economic benefit,” said Glen Lanker of Artios, a Spokane-based architecture firm that is a partner in the development. “We are understandably disappointed.”

The seven planning commissioners agreed there is no reason to change the comprehensive plan – the foundation of all land-use decisions – that was revised in April with the help of local residents. The commission added that Hayden needs to focus on developing existing land within the city limits, not extend its borders.

Lanker argues that Hayden Canyon would solve a lot of the city’s existing problems such as congestion at the intersection at Lancaster Road and U.S. Highway 95.

The company would give $1 million to speed up construction of an overpass at the intersection in addition to helping with the cost of bringing sewers to homes in the area.

The company also plans to donate 30 acres for an elementary school – which may become a private school – and a public middle school.

The proposed community center, arts center and small retail and office development of about 100,000 square feet would provide jobs and boost economic development without competing with Hayden’s downtown vitalization plans, Lanker said.

Some neighbors and planning commissioners were unconvinced, instead seeing the development as a burden and detractor from building up Hayden’s downtown core.

Opponents pledged to keep fighting against Hayden Canyon, which they argue would destroy their rural-fringe lifestyle, increase traffic congestion on already clogged roads and burden local school districts by adding 2,100 students.

“Thank you so very much,” Mary McCoy told several commissioners after rushing to their table when the meeting ended. “You made my day.”

Later McCoy said she moved to an adjacent subdivision in August because of the semi-rural atmosphere.

“It’s just too much – too many homes on too small lots,” she said. “It would be horrendous.”

Before the commission made its recommendations, Lanker withdrew a companion request for approval of the detailed development plans for Hayden Canyon, which could eventually put 1,800 homes on the property, along with shops, restaurants, a community center and performing arts center.

The development, which is focused around a rocky canyon, would preserve 262 acres of public open space. That application is on hold until the council makes a decision on the comprehensive plan and annexation.